[Neuropsychological differential diagnosis of degenerative dementias]

Neuropsychological differential diagnosis of degenerative dementias is characterized by high sensitivity and specificity which allows syndrome assignment in most instances in early stages. According to the empirical evidence, Alzheimer's disease can be discriminated from frontotemporal lobar degeneration and from vascular dementia by quality and severity of memory deficits and also by the presence of visuo-perceptive and visuo-constructive deficits. In frontotemporal lobar degeneration and vascular dementia executive dysfunctions predominate in most controlled empirical studies. Moreover, in frontotemporal lobar degeneration severe aphasic and semantic impairments can be observed. Neuropsychological assessment contributes to the early detection, differential diagnosis and evidence-based treatment of dementia syndromes to a considerable extent. Once more specific treatments are available, the early differential diagnosis of degenerative dementias will become highly important.